September 2010

09/2010 - Hong Kong Professional Photographer's Exhibition

Posted Sun, 26/09/2010 - 11:12

This month saw the opening of the Hong Kong Institute of Professional Photographers Annual Exhibition, Times Square in Causeway Bay. Showing at The University of Hong Kong until Oct 10, 2010

09/2010 - I shot the President[s]

Posted Sun, 05/09/2010 - 22:35

Presidential photography is always eventful. Having previously being "roughed up" with punches to the kidneys by ex-President Clinton's Secret Service bodyguards [I accidentally nearly stepped on Hilary's toe], I was wondering what these would entail as all Presidential bodyguards are a law unto themselves

So I was pleasantly surprised when these two went off without a hitch. Even though I was the official HKTDC photographer at these events, I had to go through strict security screening beforehand and told I could not leave the secure area until the VVIP's arrival, fortunately this ruling was overturned by HKTDC staff

On saturday I was shooting President Viktor Yanukovych of Ukraine. His main contingent of bodyguards were from the Hong Kong Govt's G4 VIPP - Very Important Person Protection Unit, all very well behaved. Check out the looks I was getting when I cased the Presidential dessert. And the car pics on departure...no way I was getting a lift to the MTR from The President!

The following monday it was the turn of the President Gasparovic of the Slovak Republic.....this one involved a "run-in" with the President's official videographer. After the first altercation I let him know what the ground rules were here, he backed off and didn't try it again all day

08/2010 - Merc SLS AMG "Gullwing"

Posted Sun, 05/09/2010 - 22:33

We had the new Mercedes SLS AMG "Gullwing" on loan for 4 hours. Whilst cruising around Hong Kong highways for the Prestige magazine photography shoot I never had to call Jon Wall [writer/test driver] on a 2-way radio or mobile phone to find out where he was, with that unmistakable and unique low gurgling growl of the SLS 6.3 litre V8, I could hear exactly where the USD400,000 car was at all times

"Just as thrilling, the aural sensations continue after I back off the accelerator, with a crackling cacophony on the overrun that barks, with a blat-blat-blat from the exhaust pipes, like a pair of heavy machine guns." Jon Wall, Prestige magazine. Check out their new site, http://www.prestigehongkong.com/

08/2010 - Getting high in Hong Kong

Posted Sun, 05/09/2010 - 22:08

Getting the right weather and atmospheric conditions for aerial photography above Hong Kong is difficult these days. Air quality in July was the best recorded in 11 years and the trend had continued into August, so its was chocs away for a property developer's shoot

Southerly winds from the south, where there are no pollution sources, and frequent rain were the reasons for this clear weather

After the aerial heli shoot, we rushed over to Causeway Bay so I could be hoisted and dangled out from the roof of the 50 storey Lee Gardens tower for more aerial photography from a gondola. By 2pm the wind was changing direction to easterly, hence by 6pm Hong Kong was again covered in smog